Report from Seminary Class

Carol reports from seminary:

"In September the students were made aware that Chef Ana ministers to the students by cooking out of the goodness of her heart, she does not make a 'salary' for this, though we do give her a love offering. The students decided to collect a food box to give to her at the end of the September class. This week they have collected food to give to Anna, our custodial services director. They will present this to her tomorrow at the end of class. This was orgainzed by Alex and Ama, pastors of the local UM church. Besides Alex and Ama there are 3 or more lay people attending seminary class from their church. Their ministry at the church includes 5 cell groups for children, the weekly average is over 100 children. Most of these children do not attend the church yet but are being touched with the love of Christ through these groups."

Thank God for these dedicated servants!

Seminary Remains Faithful

Academic Dean David continues to teach the essentials of the Christian faith to eager students at the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. Between 30 and 40 students are taking this current class. David is teaching 8 hours a day, consulting and counseling with students and reading assignments. Pray for his strength. This is a grueling week.

However, the students are so appreciative and responsive to the excellent instruction they are receiving from the Seminary. Remember, this is the only accessible, affordable excellent undergraduate seminary education available in Venezuela. The students know this and are so grateful for the ministry of the Seminary.

You can help. Send a financial gift to the Seminary at Venezuela Now, Inc., PO Box 1655, Duluth, GA 30096. Your gift has eternal consequences. Give generously.

Next Week's Seminary Session

Academic Dean David will be teaching the full week next week as 40-60 students gather from across Venezuela for this next session of the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela. We are continually humbled at how dedicated these students are in getting to the campus in La Piedad (a suburb of Barquisimeto) and spending the week in serious study, learning and growing in their relationship with Jesus. Some travel over 20 hours by bus. Most are bi-vocational and give up a week's earnings to attend class. Many come as couples, securing childcare while they are away.

These students serve in a variety of types of ministries including pastors, Christian educators, youth ministers, lay leaders, church planters, social justice ministries, medical ministries and many more. Some of them have terminal degrees such as engineers, educators and medical doctors. Some do not have a high school diploma. Yet all work together in the exciting process of learning new and Biblically sound ways of doing effective ministry and thinking theologically. They also learn the very best of the Wesleyan Theological tradition, the theology of the largest Christian movement in the world.

Wives and husbands separate for the week as the women are housed in one dormitory while the men are housed in another. We simply do not have married accommodations at this time. However, the accommodations are so much better than where they stayed at previously rented facilities. They are comfortable, large, and perhaps most important, clean. New beds and mattresses, freshly laundered linens, clean bathrooms and fresh flowers welcome them to seminary.

The classroom where they will spend 32 hours together next week is a very spacious, beautiful room. It has air conditioning, comfortable chairs, large work tables, clean restrooms and great second story views! It is an ideal room for teaching and learning.

The students will be served three meals a day as well as given refreshments at mid morning and mid afternoon. Ana is the chef and provides some of the most wonderful food to be found in Venezuela. She does this as a volunteer since she is retired. It is a labor of love and such an improvement over the food at our previous location. Her husband has been a student in the seminary for the last several years even though he is a lay person and a retired educator. By the way, pray for Senor Luis as he has developed some very serious heart problems for which there is no medical cure.

Every morning and afternoon session begins with worship. It may be a full service or just a devotional. It always includes singing and corporate prayer. These worship times are some of the most meaningful spiritual experiences of this author's life. Corporate dynamic worship that touches the very soul and which connects the worshipper with the imminent presence of the living Christ is rare in many churches in the US, but not in Seminary classes at the Wesleyan Seminary of Venezuela.

After the week is over, the students will return to their places of service and increase their effectiveness in reaching the lost of Venezuela. They will preach the word, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned, love the unloved, embrace the lost and bring people into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, making disciples of Jesus all across Venezuela.

You can help! Be a part of this great ministry. Send your gift to Venezuela Now, Inc. at the address in the sidebar. Call me, Warren, at 770 889 6423 to discuss ways you or your church can become more involved in this life-changing ministry. God is at work in Venezuela, especially through the Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela! Praise His Name!

October Seminary Next Week

Our Academic Dean, David, will be teaching this next's week of seminary classes. He was supposed to have help for half the time, but US UM Bureaucracy intervened and prevented the other party from going to Venezuela at this time. So David will teach the full 32 hours.

Thirty two hours of teaching may not seem like much to many people, but those are the ones who have never done it. It is physically exhausting, mentally draining and psychologically depleting, David will do this while still recovering from an invasion of parasites. He and Carol continue to fight the good fight.

Pray for David and Carol and the staff of the seminary.
Pray for the students who are traveling great distances.
Pray for funding. We need help.

The biggest opportunity facing us is the $30,000 annual mortgage payment due in two and one half months. We do not have the money. God will have to provide this. We are trusting in His grace and asking you to pray about being one of the ones he uses to meet this need.

How I miss being in Seminary. Maybe soon in 2010!

Back in the Saddle

God is faithful. Seminario Wesleyano de Venezuela continues to educate pastors and Christian workers in the only affordable and accessible under graduate full seminary experience in all of Venezuela. Our Dean recently taught over 40 students the "Inductive Bible Study Method," a prerequisite for all our Bible courses. In a couple of weeks, Kelly Falany Brumbeloe will teach a course in the lesser epistles and the Dean will continue with the regular curriculum.

As the primary writer of this Blog and acting President of the Seminary, I have been AWOL for quite some time. Last September I had emergency surgery. Subsequently I developed MRSA Staph infection. I was on an antibiotic IV for three months and heavy oral meds for a couple more months. God gave grace to defeat the Staph, Praise his name. Then on June tenth I underwent Gastric Bypass Surgery. The surgery went great. However, I developed several serious orthopedic and neurological problems. When I got home, I was totally immobile from the waist down. But again God is faithful. While I still have to get around in a wheelchair, I am SO MUCH better and I give glory the the Great Physician. Still not able to travel to Venezuela, but maybe soon...

In the meantime, we need to raise operating capital for November and December and we have a $30,000 debt service payment due on December 31. We are almost without any funds. So we need your prayers and major financial gifts. Please send a check to Venezuela Now at the address indicated above.

God continues to bless the nation of Venezuela through the seminary and the many ministries of our graduates and current students. Pray for the seminary and pray of the funds.